Goodbye Di ❤️

Wednesday morning went by slowly and smoothly. I was up long before Dianne and Sheba and I walked together on a short route before she got up. Once she was up and about, we just spent our time chatting together and then we had lunch. She left here at 1:00 to catch her ferries home.

I always find it a little lonely after someone has been visiting and then departs. But I knew I’d soon adjust to being back to normal. I had a long, wonderful nap in front of the fire in the afternoon, but I was awakened by Sheba barking sharply. She was barking because Deborah, a neighbour, was coming up the driveway.

Deborah asked me where David and Ursula were. I told her they were in Costa Rica, and then she told me she was asking because when she was walking her dog, Stormy, there was a loud alarm of some sort going off at Dave’s place. So, I wrote to Dave to ask what it might have been. I’m going over to his place today to look around and ensure there is nothing damaged or ongoing.

Today will be spent by the fire, but we’ll go into the village to shop and, of course, we’ll take our regular forest trail walks. Essentially, I am killing time until Wednesday and Thursday and my final two tests.

Beauty Day with Dianne

Tuesday was spent under brilliant sunny skies. We diddled away much of the early morning, and then we walked Elder Cedar, Di, Sheba and me. When we got back, it was time for lunch, and lunch was followed by naps for all three of us. Mid-afternoon, we went to Drumbeg to walk the park trail, and we met lots of lovely people walking alone or with dogs.

Di loved her stay. She loves walking in nature, and she appreciates all the things I show and tell her about the forest and the view. She also appreciated being pampered by me with food, fire and movies. At one point, she was attending to her email and doing so included fulfilling a request from her friend, Ann, to buy a gift card for Ann because Ann doesn’t like Amazon, but she wanted to gift an Amazon card.

When she happened to mention this issue with Ann, I suggested she first write to Ann to ensure it is really Ann who is asking and not a scammer. It was a scammer. I saved Di from buying a $400 gift card for an asshole!!! 

In the evening it was movies again, and lots of chatter. 

Today, I shall rest and work on getting Sheba looked after when I go back to the hospital on Wednesday.

Test #1 Done!

Monday was busy and wonderful. I took Her Highness on the Elder Cedar walk just before eight am, and I left here just before ten to head to the hospital. I was early, so they took me in early and I was finished by the time my appointment time arrived. The test took less than half an hour, and I was able to see what was on the screen the entire time as he did an ultrasound of my heart. Dr. Chen will get the results by Friday, and I can see the results online then as well.

Coming home, I walked through the waiting cars looking for Dianne but I could not see her. She was, though, on the same ferry as me leaving Nanaimo and coming to Gabe. She stopped for gas and went to Nester’s, and so I was home just ten minutes before she arrived. Sheba was very, very happy to see me; the cats had not noticed I was absent.

Di liked my laksa seafood soup, and I loved the baked cheesecake that she brought for us to have while she is here. We watched movies after dinner and chatted often together. It was lovely to have her here.

In the early evening, I got an email from Island Health that provided a link to access my health records. I clicked on the link, and it was easy to find a button for “Imaging Results.” I clicked on it and I could read, in reverse chronological order, my medical scanning history, and I found the results of an echocardiogram that I had on 2021.

It is thick with medical nomenclature. It is not an easy read, but it was clear that they noticed problems with two valves, but it also stated that there was no need for intervention then. But that makes me wonder about this time. I was more focused on plaque in my arteries as the likely problem as it is so common a problem, but perhaps it may be a valve problem. I hope not as the fix is much scarier that simple stents.

But what a treat to find that I can access my own test results, and I don’t have to wait for Dr. Chen to contact me to know something of the test outcomes. I believe that come Friday I’ll be able to see my results. I’ll also be able to access the results of my MIBI test next week.

But fucking hell, I hope I don’t have to have a valve replacement operation. I read up on it online and it involves a couple of days in the ICU after the operation and then more days in the cardiac ward. Arranging for Sheba’s care for several days will be a challenge. She was put on sedatives last time I spent a week in the hospital. We are co-dpendents.

Echo Day

Sunday was brilliant and bright all day. The low light of Winter readily exposed every dust ball and Fir needle on the floor and every bit of dirt and dust on the windows. Guess what I was doing much of the day? I was cleaning, resting, cleaning, resting, cooking resting, etc. That was my entire day except for our two forest walks, the afternoon one being particularly pleasant.

I wore myself out. Considering it was My Day, I overdid the working, but I will go to Nanaimo today knowing that Di will come into a clean, tidy and warm house, and when I get home, I’ll have two days of R&R with her. Oh, I was tired by the early afternoon, so I rested well before heading out for our afternoon walk.

We went to Drumbeg to walk in the afternoon. It was spectacular because it was so wonderfully clear and bright. I could very easily see Mount Baker in Washington state shining bright white and huge on the eastern horizon. It was a truly lovely way to bring an end to the day. And I went to bed very early last night, so I’d be strong and rested today.

So, soon I’m off to catch the ferry to Nanaimo. It’s finally echocardiogram day. I hate that I’m leaving Her Highness at home alone, but I’d have to leave her far too long in the car were I to take her. Dona is coming to feed and walk her at 12:30, and Di will arrive soon after that, so she’ll only be without me for a couple of hours.